pre - Berea
pre - mock meet
pre - pushing myself to the EDGE!
Remember how weak I thought I felt!!
Then insert Sunday night.
April 28, 2013!!
And a big fat slap in the face and reminder of just how STRONG I'm getting!!
I am still NOwhere near the level of a lot of girls - But I'm better than I was and THAT is what counts!! And considering that I have been lifting for less than a year - I could not BE any happier than where I am right now and the drive and motivation and potential I have to get even stronger!!!
I. Feel. GOOD!
And The Cube.... ahhhhhhhhh The Cube.
It is brutal!!
As if I didn't already believe in the Cube Method to start with... the training and it's mixture of strength and body building exercises - but the part I believe FIRMLY in - is the mock meet in 10 weeks.
WHY?
It's just "practice" - It doesn't count because it's not on a platform right??
Well...
Here's my opinion!! (yes - I realize everyone has one...)
For 10 weeks we have beaten ourselves to death!! Towards the end of the 3rd cycle, even though I knew I had to be stronger (because on Cube you have no choice BUT to get stronger!), I still felt beaten up and weak.
I think I had some milestones in training along the way - but it was just small things in the gym. Yes - it was progress... but spread out over 10 weeks its harder to correlate that into real gains.
(or maybe that is just the case in MY head!)
SO - in my opinion - the mock meet at the 10 week mark is the BEST part of this program!!!
It may not be a certified competition - but it sure as HECK should be treated like one.
WHY? Because THIS is what we work for? This is why we train.
We don't train for "ego" in the gym... we train to compete. We train to get better.
We train to CRUSH FACES on the platform.
So by all means, even if you aren't doing a MEET at your 10 week mark, test yourself and TREAT it like a meet... with the same intensity and drive!!!
How else do you know where you stand?
Here is how mine went.
We had previously done a meet in February... my numbers at that meet were as follows:
Squat - 145 (which was already a good PR for me considering when I began lifting the squat was my biggest nemesis. It took me some time to get comfortable with just squatting with a bar on my back, much less adding weight to it!)
Bench - 90 (this was a 5 pound PR for me... and more evidence that my bench just wasn't moving along like it should - it is/was my definite weak spot)
Deadlift - 225 (deadlift was my favorite lift at this point - I had worked really hard to get here... but I seem to have plateaued here at the 220/225 range)
So I totaled 460 at this meet. I was shooting for 450 so I was very happy with what I walked away with.
Going into my mock meet after The Cube I was shooting for a 500 total!
But even MORE than that, I wanted to bench 100 so bad I could taste it!! I have worked and worked and worked and tried and failed at 100 numerous times - so at this point - it was really just taunting me!!
Here are my numbers:
Squat - first attempt 150 (this is already a 5# PR), 2nd attempt 170 (gravy!), final attempt 185 (NAILED it and it was exactly where I was hoping my final lift would be!)
Bench - first attempt 85 (easy opener and I definitely needed the confidence builder here!), 2nd attempt 100 (I was told it 95) **Also - add into my bench lifts, I happened to be sitting in front of Brandon Lilly. *smile* He had me change up my stuff a bit and put some leg drive in... which clearly I had been lacking!** With the changes in form and being PUSHED my Lilly and my guys.... I freaking CRUSHED 100!!! I seriously thought I was going to cry (HEY - I AM still a girl..... I'm sensitive! LOL) But I wasn't done yet. They loaded the bar with 105... I laid back, took in a big breath and Pete Rubished (aka grinded) my way through 105 too!!!
THIS my friends is WHY I lift and WHAT I live for!!!
Crossing those barriers... doing things my body thought I couldn't do!! Making gains and proving to myself that I can do just about anything I set my mind to and work towards!!!
((Again..... I could cry. I have watched that 105 video so many times it's a wonder youtube hasn't crashed. It amazes me and brings tears to my eyes EVERY dang time!!))
To you it may just be 105 pounds... but to me - it's EVERYTHING!!!!!
Deadlift - first attempt 210 (THIS gave me the 500 total that I was working for!! The rest is just GRAVY!) Killed it!!! 2nd attempt 230 (this is a 5# PR and it still went up pretty good) 3rd attempt 245 (this has me REAL close to my goal for the YEAR on deadlift of 250! That will need to be changed! I failed at 245 but watching the video, I think I just gave up.... I was soooo dang close so I already KNOW I got that 245 next go around!!!
Overall - I went 8/9 on my mock meet AND I totaled 520 which puts me 20 pounds over what my goal was going into this "practice meet"... AND 60 pounds over what I did just 2.5 months ago!
INSANE!!
Bring on June 15th - I'm going to crush FACES!!!!
I love The Cube (cause it's insane!)
I love Brandon Lilly (for writing, coaching, and for his ETHIC!)
I love my guys (for all their support and encouragement)
AND MY guy in particular (for getting me started and believing in me!)
I love lifting
I love watching and feeling my body get stronger!
I wouldn't trade my sport or this day of lifting for anything in the world right now!
What are you doing in YOUR spare time?!!
Here's my 105 grinded out bench - and my 245 deadlift that SOOOOOO should have come up!!!!
The rest of my videos are on youtube if you want to see them all. Tammy Green channel.
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